Karan Mahadik is a Tech Correspondent for The Indian Express based in Delhi-NCR, specializing in the intersection of technology and public policy. With a focus on how digital infrastructure shapes governance and society, he is a key voice in the publication's coverage of the rapidly evolving tech regulation landscape.
Karan brings a robust background in digital journalism to his role at The Indian Express. Before joining the organization, he honed his skills at MediaNama, a premier source for tech policy news in India, and The Quint. This trajectory has equipped him with a deep understanding of both the business of technology and the regulatory frameworks that govern it.
Karan’s reporting moves beyond product cycles to investigate the broader implications of technology. His work is defined by:
Tech Policy & Regulation: In-depth coverage of legal frameworks, government directives (such as SIM-binding mandates), and internet governance.
Artificial Intelligence: He authors The Smart Prompt, a weekly newsletter dedicated to demystifying AI developments and their impact on industries and individuals.
Privacy & Security: Reporting on digital rights, data protection (DPDP rules), and platform accountability.
Complex Analysis: Known for his ability to translate dense policy documents and technical shifts into clear, accessible narratives for a general audience.
Karan is recognized for his rigorous approach to sourcing and his commitment to digital privacy, evidenced by his accessibility via secure channels like Signal. His work is frequently cited for its detailed examination of regulatory overreach and corporate accountability. By anchoring his reporting in verified data and expert commentary, he provides readers with a reliable compass for navigating the "wild west" of modern technology.
Find all stories by Karan Mahadik here

December 23, 2025 12:25 IST
Anna’s Archive is releasing 300 TB of audio files and metadata scraped from Spotify to build a music archive for preservation, but there are concerns that AI companies could get their hands on it too.
Wed, Dec 24, 2025
December 22, 2025 13:39 IST
While economic pressures persisted, 2025 marked the year several major tech firms openly tied layoffs to the adoption of AI.
Tue, Dec 23, 2025
December 17, 2025 20:30 IST
OnePlus 15R Review: The OnePlus 15R aims to strike a balance between flagship performance and affordability.
Sun, Dec 21, 2025
December 16, 2025 17:17 IST
If there’s one reason to buy the Moto G86 Power, it's the massive 6720mAh battery.
Wed, Dec 17, 2025
December 11, 2025 19:36 IST
A little-known startup called Starcloud may have just proved that the futuristic concept of space-based data centres is no longer a pipe dream.
Sat, Dec 13, 2025
December 10, 2025 15:54 IST
While a majority of respondents believe that continuous SIM-binding may improve safety, many are also concerned about the inconvenience it will cause for those using multiple devices.
Sat, Dec 13, 2025
December 09, 2025 19:48 IST
The investment, its largest in Asia, is on top of the $3 billion announced by the tech giant earlier this year.
Sat, Dec 13, 2025
December 08, 2025 19:08 IST
EU regulators said that X failed to provide transparency around its adverts, and did not give researchers access to public data. But its main focus was X's paid blue ticks.
Tue, Dec 09, 2025
December 04, 2025 18:15 IST
The SIM-binding directive has reopened the debate on the scope of the Telecom Act, and how far it allows the DoT to regulate OTT applications and internet services.
Fri, Dec 05, 2025
December 03, 2025 19:26 IST
While the proponents of the directive claim that it makes traceability of scammers easier, experts have pointed out that SIM-binding could run into several technical hurdles in implementation.
Thu, Dec 04, 2025
November 27, 2025 08:00 IST
As much as $250 billion was wiped off Nvidia’s market cap on November 25. The jitters reportedly stemmed from Gemini 3, Google’s latest AI reasoning model, that has quickly become a favourite among tech CEOs, developers, and researchers. Here's why.
Thu, Nov 27, 2025
November 20, 2025 13:31 IST
The tech giant also announced an expansion of key partnerships with entities such as IIT Madras’ CeRAI and the CyberPeace Foundation.
Sun, Nov 23, 2025
November 19, 2025 21:01 IST
The researchers’ findings come just days after the notification of the DPDP rules that aim to operationalise India's personal data protection law.
Thu, Nov 20, 2025
November 12, 2025 08:53 IST
Professor Rajeev Sangal discusses his reservations about open-sourcing Indic language datasets, the roadmap for Bhashini 2.0, and what he expects at the India AI Impact Summit.
Sun, Nov 16, 2025
November 06, 2025 18:07 IST
It has also recommended the removal of restrictions to cross border data transfers while expanding access to “non-sensitive high-value government datasets”.
Sat, Nov 08, 2025
November 05, 2025 19:54 IST
Indic LLMs could be India's differentiator in the global AI arms race, but progress is slowed by lack of high-quality training datasets and local benchmarks.
Thu, Nov 06, 2025
October 27, 2025 16:05 IST
Several tech companies and digital rights activists have criticised the UN treaty against cybercrime, signed in Vietnam’s Hanoi, over concerns that it could end up criminalising legitimate online activity.
Tue, Oct 28, 2025
October 23, 2025 19:00 IST
The layoffs come on the heels of an aggressive hiring spree by Mark Zuckerberg, who has sought to fill Meta’s ranks with top AI researchers from rival companies.
Sun, Oct 26, 2025
October 22, 2025 15:40 IST
ChatGPT Atlas can remember your searches, suggest actions, and even complete tasks on your behalf. But how safe is your data? Can you opt-out of these features? What new privacy and security risks come with AI-driven browsing?
Fri, Oct 31, 2025
October 21, 2025 18:16 IST
AWS outage October 2025: The cloud computing market is said to have a brittle foundation because it is dominated by just a few hyperscalers such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.
Thu, Oct 23, 2025
October 10, 2025 15:50 IST
The Google-owned platform is rolling out an AI-powered system that will automatically display the product tag at the moment the creator mentions it in the video.
Sun, Oct 12, 2025
October 09, 2025 16:32 IST
Speaking at a press conference, Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia also highlighted telecom and digital inclusion as key drivers of India’s economic growth.
Fri, Oct 10, 2025
October 08, 2025 13:04 IST
PM Modi was speaking at the inauguration of the ninth edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) organised by the DoT and COAI in New Delhi.
Wed, Oct 15, 2025
October 05, 2025 16:53 IST
The launch of Vani comes just days after the Ministry of Education asked officials to adopt the Zoho Office Suite for managing official documents.
Tue, Oct 07, 2025
September 28, 2025 08:29 IST
In a first, Asus has introduced the Vivobook S16 models in bold new colours such as Salvia Green and BFF Peachy.
Wed, Oct 01, 2025



